Review: Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

“Eventually we decided there was only one solution: go and see for ourselves. We shook hands over a mighty twenty-dollar-bet, a staggering amount to gamble even on a sure thing, and planned an official scientific expedition to the mysterious outer suburbs.”

Welcome to outer suburbia, where strange animals roam, backyards house hand painted missile silos, and the absurd is a way of life.

Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan, of The Arrival fame, is a collection of 15 illustrated short stories. The stories are stark but poignant. Some are even quite humorous. More than a few of the tales ruminate on home and what home really means. Some delve into seemingly political realms, but not in a heavy-handed lecturing way. Some read like myths. All are almost magical.

The drawings range from simple sketches to more elaborate pieces incorporating a wide variety of media.

I highly recommend this quirky, delightful book. It’s beautiful for all ages.